Great News About Messenger

The Planetary Society has issued the following statements regarding MESSENGER's successful orbital insertion at Mercury:

"MESSENGER is orbiting Mercury!" said Bill Nye, Executive Director of the Planetary Society. "It's rocket science at its best. Before this success, Mercury was the only inner planet that had never been orbited by a spacecraft."

"MESSENGER's going into orbit is a momentous accomplishment in humanity's quest to explore the solar system," said Bruce Betts, the Planetary Society's Director of Projects. "The mission has already helped us complete humanity's initial reconnaissance of the inner solar system, and provided ground breaking science to help us understand fascinating and exotic Mercury."

###

About the Planetary Society

Celebrating 35 years, The Planetary Society has inspired millions of people to explore other worlds and seek other life. With the mission to empower the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration, its international membership makes the non-governmental Planetary Society the largest space interest group in the world. Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman founded the Planetary Society in 1980. Bill Nye, a longtime member of the Planetary Society's Board, serves as CEO.